ludiman



E. H. LUDEMAN.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING. APFLICATION FILED MAR. I3. 1917. RENFWED JUNE 30. i919.

1,822,127 4 Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mama/I01.

0 WIN #1 005mm 1nnwm H. renew, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

a at

j?flaazzaaaeatyiaamlo Be it known'j hat I, EDWIN 123 22112 iii H, LUDEMAN, 'a

j citizen ofthe U nited'States, residing at Ne I I York, in the county of New York and State I Auseful Improvements in. Flexible Couplings, I

of'N ,e W- York, have. invented certain new and 'offvvhich thefolloiving isaspecification;

R This invention relates to flexible couplings} adaptedand intended for connecti'ngshaft sectionsfonthe,transmission of power'i The "local conditions nndenwhich sald coupling it is essential orjdesirable that the coupling Also it isudesirableinmany installations totion but of center, that is with their ax esoffset. This latter condition oftenresultsfrom.

unequal expansion f'iorjwear of metal' parts, and usually demands. an intermediate or "I I middIe nemberibtW en-theheads fixed toi Ithe' ,.shaft vsfectioria'jand-this intermediate 1 m m er I cannot take 11p any "considerable arnountfof space because 'of the necessity for the J 'c los ef location of'the shaft section's, as ffabov'e referred to. It is 'also'des'irable that' Z a'coupling be constructed-which permits the and each pair being located at 'agright angle parts' to "be readily replaced or repaired,

withouttakingidoyvn-the shafts, and this is I partieularlyitrne =of couplings us ng flexible,- orl'aminated rings to "transmit the powerand permit the angular and othervariations;

Cheap'ness is also desirable and is accom Q40 jlre t mp d meet-mamas 1 -""l eijp v. v s. f "satisfy the 'aboveand'otherdesirable conch- 'tions, and it' includes the idea, among others,

other'nie'rnbers on 'the outerorrea1' side-of; u I v opposit'esldes as indicated at 18,.in a diree-wf sent inve tion -is intended to Q v p c exible: r am a rings r the heads or mernbGX'SZattachedi to the shafts,

I distinguished from placingthem between th a j ec i tg e fl saidlh edsoem m e T av v a and Pe mit he wa b i readily got at. Also by makingthe'rings i I "sectional, they tan-be taken off and re laced without disturbina h b herimt ll with? v out decreas g fil b ailable hub room for at taehing the heads rnnxnann edui tm'e.

-.- the sectional rings; r

e: lemm means are also provided for connectingithe rings to the heads andi'the intermediate- -member, If thelatt'er is used.

The invention is. illustrated intheaceoxn-- fpanyingfdr'awings in which Figure- 1 'is a centrahlongitudinal section of a coupling embodying the nvention. Fig. 2-is' an end elevation of theIsame. F5 is: a detail of.

Referring specifically toqthe drawings, -6f indicates the acent shaft sections. t'o'which the coupling is applied. {Upon each of these-- sections is keyed or otherwise securedia head having ahub 7, a riin and; a connecting Web 9. This web has recesses through the same, indicated. at 10,1and the wvebispreferablylocated at or. near the front face of the head, that is the face toward theendof the shaft section, vvhereby an annular channel -11 '15- produced in the baek part of. (inside of the head, between the hub. and the 'ri rn thereof. This channel: receives. or inclos'es the. flexiblev meniber shown as they laminated "17mg 12 andthe means for fastening thesame to be hereafter more fullyodes'cribedg, 1 i

" Betweenv the headslis a n intErmediate Or "side. of the disk,th0se i eaeh side,,being.

fioating couplinglnember 1 3, consistingas arranged diametrically oppositeeach "other, 4

to the other, or; apart, These. studs I are fastened to the intermediatemembr blfdisk J by'bolts 15, and", the bases ofgthe studs are preferably, enlarged. and -niortise'd in'tbJ the disk as indicated at l6,,rto 1 1nake1 rigid joints.-

If desired the studs may; be integral with the disk,; but the sectional."construction is f "preferred, for easeof assembling, s'o'that the} central Imember' can be. removed] if desired,

(without removing the heads. "Th'e outer end offeach stud is reducedto forn a shoulderat 17, and it is' also preferably] flattened on.

respondingly-ish pd-holes in the lamina 0:

wherejtheyyare: attached, and to: rovide 'suf pficient strength in 1 the parts" to "stand. th 0 -strain. The rings are clamped to the studs I 1 by nuts 19 screwed on the threadedends of the studs.

The openings in t e web of each head are diametrically op ite, and the two heads are set on the s nift sections with the openings spaced at 90 degrees from each other, and the studs 14 pro]ect through said openings, which are of suflicient size to per- 1 mit the desired angular or other. variation T10: 5 nating and equidistant from the studs 14,

between the shaft sections. At points alterthe rings are attached to the heads by means l of pins set in bores in the webs of the heads, and these pins are reduced and Hat tened as indicated "at 21, where they fit through holes in the rings, ina manner simi 'lar to the studs above described, the re duced ends of the pins bein threaded to receive nuts 22 whereby tie rings are clamped in position. The rings rest against shoulders on the pins, whereb they are spaced from the webs of the hea s, to permit The rings could be made continuous, but I prefer to make each in two sections, as shown in Fig. 5, each section being sufficiently. longer than a half circle to lap at the ends, as indicated at 30, the lapped ends having the holes referred to for the connection of the studs or pins. By this construction the ring. sections can be readily put on or taken off without disturbing the heads. As the ends of the sections arelapped, the

. rings are thereby spaced apart, and serve the same purpose as though washers were used between complete rings, giving increased flexibility. Intermediate the lapped ends, washers 31 are placed between the.

laininations, .to preserve the parallel and spaced relation where the rings are fastened to the intermediate studs. The lapped ends are shown fastened on the pins carr'iedb) the heads, with the studs fastened intermediately,'but this arrangement maybe reversed shown as a solid disk, but this form can be varied if desired.

Thus it may be in: the form of a ring, which would permit the shaft ends or the hubs of the heads to pro- 'ject inwardly or closer to each other, if for any reason this were desirable.

Although laminated rings are shown, the

invention is not limited thereto, but flexible rings of any kind, or other flexible connecting members, may be substituted, within the scope of the invention. Nor is the invention limited in other respects to the particular structures shown.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a modified form is illustrated. The heads 50 may be stamped from.

being contained in the channels or recesses thereof. Any suitable connecting means may be used, some of which are illustrated.

'Ijhus a bolt 53 may be passed through the rings and the arms; or the rings ma be assembled on a'hollow rivet, or thimb e 54 the end of which is swa ed over to hold them. For. connection'to t e head a hollow thimble 55 may be used, set through a boss in the web or the head and riveted'over the rings, with a washer 56 interposed. These details are shown for the purpose of illus tration or suggestion, the particular means employed being immaterial to the main idea of the invention.

In the devices illustrated four points of connection with each ring are shown, at 9Q apart. Obviously this number may be varied, according to the size of the coupling or other conditions, preserving however the alternate arrangement or, location of connections to the respective members.

In the use of the deiice, the rings will yield or bend between onnections to permit angular variations of the shafts, and the thrust 'is communicated lengthwise of the rings, so that a coupling of great strength is provided, without impairing theflexibility permitted crosswise of the sh'aftL- And, especially when the middle member is used, both rings or sets of rings can be The former are channeled anflexed to accommodate any off-set or *variation of the shafts from exact alinement. I claim: I 1. In a flexible coupling, the combination of heads in opposite relation, flexible rings at the rear or distant sides of the heads, and attached thereto, and a connecting member between the heads, said member having arms at opposite sides secured in alternation to thevrespective rings.

.2- In. a flexible coupling, the combinetionof heads adapted to be attached in opposite spaced relation to adjacent shaft sections, said heads having annular recesses in their rear or distant faces, flexible members located in said recesses and attached to the heads, and a connecting member between said flexible members.

3, In a flexible coupling, the combination of heads adapted to be attached in opposite spaced relation to adjacent shaft sections,

said heads havin openings through the same, flexible mem rslocated at the rear or 1 distant faces. of the heads -an'd attached the respective I through the openings in the heads.

thereto, and a connecting member between exible members, extending 4. A flexible coupling'mcomprising two heads adapted-for ,azttac ent to ad -acent shaft sections, and a connection between. said head's including flexible members located'at the rear'or distant faces, of said heads and at-j v tached atinter'vals thereto and spaced there,

' y from for flexi'on between-the points ofattachmen't."

- heads adapted for attachmentto a 15, A 'flexibldco rpling comprisin' two through the same, andconnecting means be-'- ,'tween said head's including rigid members extending through said'ope'nin'gs and flexi ble members attached to the rear or distant of heads adapted "to ,be'attac'hed in opposite Hi'elation to adjacent shaft. sections, "an interfaces ofsaidheada'u p ,6. In a flexible coupling, the comb nation mediate memberlbetween-said heads, and a flexible member located at the rear or distant side 'of'each head and-connected alternately to'said intermediate member and said head.

7. In a flexible coupling,the combination I of heads adapted tobe attached to adjacent 80, through the same, an intermediate member between the heads having -.projections ex- .tending'through said openings, and-a flexible ringsecured to i said shaft sections, said heads' having' openings said projections'and the rear or distant sides 1 of the respective heads.

9, In a flexible shaft coupling, the cornbiliationro'qfheads adapted to be attached to i adjacent". shaft sections, said heads having openings through the same,-an intermediate 1 ,"member between the heads, having proj'ec' 1 tions extending through saidopeningson opposite sides alternately, and flexible rings .attached in alternation to said projections We shaft sect-ions, said-'heads-having opemngsw tant sidesof said heads.

10. In a flexible'couplin {the combination 'i 2 '5'5 shaftsections, each head consisting .of' a of heads adapted forattac ment to, adjacent pressed metal member having a hu;b, rim

and the' respective heads,'a t the rear or dis-.1"

and "connecting web,- forming aniannu'lar channe1, -the web having openings through the same, an intermediate member-between the heads having arms projecting on 0 p05 site sides through said, openings, and exi-fble rings located in the channels'and con--- nected alternately/to said arms-and to. the

heads.- 7

y 11,. In a flexible coupling. for adjacent shaft sections, the combination with ahead onone section-,of a flexible-ring attached at intervals to the rear side of the'h'ead, and. a connection between thejother shaft section and said ring, attached to the" latter at points alternating'with the points of, atta'chment of the ring to the-head.

12. In a flexiblecoupling for jadjacent;

shaft sections, the combination with a head on.one sectiomof a flexible ring at the rear side of saidhead, saidring being connected alternately to the head and to the ther shaftsectiom r 13. In a flexible couplingpthe: combina'f' tion with f members adapted. for connection to adjacent shaft sections, of =aflexible mem-' ber comprising a laminated ring, each lamik nation 'being made in sections-With lapped ends, each. sectionbe-in'g. secured near its those. oi-nts'to the other member. .1

-' 14; n a flexible shaft coupling, the

ends to one: of said members and between.

com-

bination with opposed coupling members adapted 'for connection to adjacent shaft sec-- tions, "of a flexible ring'composed of lamina-IQ tion's, each la'lnmatlonconslstlng' of. seg' mental sections. attached-at their ends tojone of said members and the other member;

in presence of .tWo Witnesses.

I EDWIN LUDEMAN; Witnesses: I

DAV-1D H. REID,

IDA D LCI1ER.'

between said ends to; 1 3 In testinionyrwhereof, I afiix n iy signatnre 

